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Glossary of pump terms: K

Kalrez®: Perfluoroelastomer material used in the manufacture of seals and O-rings. Manufactured by E.I. Dupont, resistant to many different aggressive chemicals.

Kerosene: Combustible hydrocarbon. Also kerosine. Used as a low specific gravity testing fluid after a pump has been shown to not leak water.

Ketone: A chemical group of organic compounds with one carbonyl attached to any of a variety of alkyl groups.

Key: A small square piece of metal that is used to secure a rotating part onto a shaft, preventing the part from rotating independently of the shaft.

Keyway: A slot in the shaft that will accommodate the key.

K factor: A coefficient that provides the friction loss from fittings in a system. Tables exist that list the fittings and their K factors. It is used with the following equation

Kiln: A furnace for drying or baking among other functions. Produces “kiln dried wood” that has dimensional stability used for making patterns.

Kilowatt: One thousand watts. A watt is the SI unit of power, defined as one joule per second.

Kinematics: A branch of mechanics that describes motion of a set of points or bodies, without reference to the force that caused the motion.

Kinetic energy: The energy an object has due to its motion. In pumps, the impeller imparts kinetic energy to the fluid, which is then harnessed by the resistance created by the volute.

KPa: An SI unit of measurement for pressure. Defined as one Newton per m². 100 kPa ~ one atmosphere.

KV: Kilovolt or one thousand volts. SI unit of electrical potential difference. The difference that will impart one joule per coulomb of charge that passes through it.

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